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H. H. (iiLUNFn. FLEXIBLE COUPLING. APPLmmoN FILED mwnylsls.

l 323,046. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

I /H G! Mama :5? g 5 By Z A TTORNEY UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H, GILDNER, OF MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO I. BLAIR &, (30.,

INC.,-0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION: OF NEW YORK.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 17, 1919. Serial No. 297,670.

.Couplings, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact .description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to power transmitting flexible'couplings and with respectto its more specific features to the construction and arrangement for. assembling parts of the coupling in eflicient operative relation.

One of-the objects of the invention is the provision of an eflicient clamping device for the flexible element, adapted to avoid sli between the disk and the clamp.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a practical device adapted to positively transmit torque strain to and from the-flexible element without substantial relative motion between the clamped parts thereby largely mitigatin wear and increasing the life of'the flexib e element.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section through a coupling embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation;

Fig. 3 is a face view of one form of buckle plate;

-"ig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 3;

Mg. 5 is a sectional view of a part of Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a face view, mainly diagrammatic of a modified form of buckle plate.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numerals l and 2 indicate r0- tatable driving and driven shafts which are to be connected by a. flex ble element, as a disk 17, which is designed to transmit torque from the driving to the drivenshatt to per-' mit displacement of the axis of the two Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

shafts angularly relative to each other while in operation. The numerals 3 and 4 indicate hubs-fixed to rotate withthe shafts 1 and 2 and the numerals 5 and 6 indicate arms extending from these hubs providing elements to which the intermediate flexible disk may be clamped. As illustrated, each hub has three arms so as to provide two spiders and the arms of one shaft are con nected tothe flexible disk 17 at points 7, 7, 7 alternating with those 8, 8, to which the armsof the other shaft are connected, and at some distance radially from the axis of rotation. In the present embodiment the clamping devices for all'the arms are similar and therefore a description of one will sufiice for all.

On the outside of the flexible disk, at the several points 7 and 8, two clamping jaws 9 and 10 are disposed, the jaw 9 in the present embodiment being conveniently provided by proper fashioning of the outer end of'the arm 6. At 11 a tension member is indicated; a bolt, having ahead 12 and a threaded end 13 engaged by a nutlet beneath which may be disposed a flexible locking washer 15. The clamping jaw 10 and the flexible disk 17 are each provided with openings through which the driving bolt 11 passes, the bolt opening in the disk 17 being larger in diameter than the bolt and the opening in the jaw 10 having a close fit on the bolt. In this wise the torque strain is transmitted without substantial relative movement between the bolt 11 andthe jaw 10; And be:

surface of the flexible disk rather than through the edges of the opening in the dlsk,

thus avoiding wear and looseness of parts due thereto.

In the present embodiment the clamping jaw'10 is a rigid member and when the several parts referred to are assembled and the nut 14 screwed up, the disk 17 is clamped firmly between the jaws 9and 10. In orderthat the disk 17 may be positively clutched to the spiders, one of the clamping jaws, in

the present embodiment the jaw '10, is

toothed or corrugated on the face next to y V Lessors the disk; In the form illustrated a plurality of teeth are employed, these teeth as shown v being one around 'another and adapted to depress the surface of the disk-and effect clutching engagementftherewith. In order that the ressure of clamping and strain of operation may have as little-wear effect as possible on the disk, a plurality of teeth are preferably employed throu bout a substantial portion of the area 0 thejaw 10 and the teeth are preferably made as long as possible and of uniform curvature so as to provide a large effective area for clamping purposes and as few sharp corners asl the axis of said bolt. For instance, referring axis thereof. It will also be seen that arcu-.

to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the teeth 18 are struck on circular arcs centering in the axis of the bolt and are continuous around the bolt and preferably concentric with the ate portions of the teeth as, for instance,

the portions intercepted between the dotted lines a: and (Fig. 2) are disposed to intersect the line of torque strain (dotted .line a) through the axis of the bolt, this line 'coinciding with the are of translation of said axis as it rotates'around the center of rotation of the shafts 1 and 2.

In the formshown-in Fig. 6, theteeth are struck on a spiral arcand are also continuous around the bolt for 360 degrees of circular arc. The teeth in both forms are preferably constructed with flat tops, asindicated in the enlarged view at- 19 (Fig. 5) and the spaces between the teeth are also flat, as indicated at 20.

The jaws 9 and 10 being rigid, the clamp' ing elfect, or pressure, is substantially uniform throughout'the gripped area, the jaws gripping with this uniform pressure what ever be the distance of a gripped area from the center line of pressure, which latter, the present. embodiment, is an imaginary. line coincident with the longitudinal axis of bolt 11. Should the jaws -9 and 10 be held by two bolts radially'spaced apart, the center line of pressure would bemidway between them. In either instance, the circular teeth would surround the center line of pressure, and present long uniformly curved teeth, corrugations or shoulders intersecting the are of translation of the center of ressure in its movement around the axis of shafts 1 or 2, and providing a long arcuate area of-contact with the flexible disk. In whichever direction rotation occurred, a

, -uniformly rounded surface would present its convexity in the direction of rotation and there would be no sharp ends, as ends of teeth, to dig1 into the disk under the torque the torque and yet permit bending to accommodate an angular relation between shafts 1 and 2. 4 I

Thus by the above described constructionare accomplished, among others, the objects hereinbefore referred to.-

As many changes'could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof,,it is intended that all matter contained in tie above description or shown inthe accom anyi'ng drawings shall be interpreted as il ustrative and not in a limiting sense. I Itis also to be understood'that the language used in the following claims is intended to eoverall of'the generic and spe cific features of the invention herein described and'all statements of the scope-of the "invention, which, as a; matterof langua e, might be said to fall therebetween.

aving described my. invention, what I claim as-new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In atorque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to another ele-,

clamping of the disk between the jaws, one

of said ]21WS' including one or more curved teeth, of greater degree of curvature than that of the arc of translation of the center of pressure between said jaws, disposed sothat the arcs of curvature ofthe teeth are adaptedto surround said center of pressure. 2. In' a torque-transmitting flexible eoupling, in combination, a flexible disk, means" 1 adapted to connect. said disk to another ele-' ment for transmissionof torque comprising clamping jaws between which the disk is intel-posed, and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws, one of said jaws including one or more teeth constructed on arcs of shorter radii than that of the arc of translation of the center of.

pressure between said jaws.

3. In a torque-transmitting flexible coudisk said center of pressure.

4. In a torque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a liexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to another element for transmission of torque comprising clamping aws between which the disk is interposed, and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws, one of said jaws including one or more curved teeth, of greater degree of curvature than that of the arc of translation of the center of pressure between said jaws, disposed so that the arcs of curvature oi {she teeth are adapted to surround said center of pressure, one or more oi said teeth being continuous for 360 of circular are. e

5. In a torque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to another element for transmission of torque comprising clamping jaws between which the disk is interposed, and means adapted to efiect clamping of the Fdisk between the aws,'one, of said jaws including one or more teeth constructed on arcs of shorter radii than that of the arc of translation of the center or pressure between. said jaws, one or more of said teeth beinglcontinuous for-360 of circular arc.

n a torque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination a flexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to another element for transmission of torque comprising clamping aws between which the disk is intel-posed, and means adapted to effect clamping' of the disk between the jaws, one of-said jaws including one or more teeth constructed on arcs centering in the center of pressure between said jaws and disposed to'intersect the line of torque strain through said center of pressure, one or more of said teeth being continuous for 360 of circular are.

7 In a torque-transmitting; flexible coupling, in con'lbination, a flexible disk having a bolt opening, clamping" jaws between which said disk is disposed, and means adapted to effect clamping'of the disk between the jaws comprising, a bolt extending through said opening and one of said jaws, one of said jaws including one or more curved teeth, of greater degree of curvature than the arc of translation of the axis of said bolt, disposed so that the arcs of curvature of said teeth are adapted to surround said bolt.

8. in a torquetransmitting flexible (You pling, in crnubination, a flexible disk havmg a bolt opening, clamping aws between which said disk is disposed, and means to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws comprising a bolt extending through said opening; and one of said jaws, one of said jaws including; one or more te t, constructed on .arcs of shorter radii than that of the arc of translation of the axis oi? said bolt.

9. in a torque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk having a bolt opening, clamping jaws between which said disk is disposed, and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws comprising a bolt extending through said opening and one of said jaws, one of s rid jaws including one or more teeth constructed on arcs centering in the axis of.

ing a bolt opening, clamping jaws between which said disk is disposed, and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws comprising a bolt extending through said opening and one of said jaws, one of said jaws including one or more curved teeth, of greater degree of curvature than the are of translation of the axis of said bolt, disposed so that the arcs of curvature of said teeth are adapt-ed to surround'said bolt, one or more of said teeth being continuous for 860 of circular are.

11. In a torque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk having a bolt opening, clamping jaws between which said disk is disposed, and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between thejaws comprising a bolt extending through said opening and one of said jaws, one of said'jaws including one or more teeth constructed on arcs of shorter radii than that of the arc of translation of the axis of said bolt, one or more of said teeth being continuous for 360 of circular are.

12 In a torque-transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk having a bolt opening, clamping jaws between which said disk is disposed, and Jmeans adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws comprising a bolt extending through said opening and one ofsaid jaws, one of said jaws including oneor more teeth constructed on arcs centering in the in member having teeth continuous aroundsaid bolt adapted to clutch said disk.

14. In a minus-transmitting flexible coupling in combination, a flexible disk having a bolt opening, clamping jaws between which said disk is disposed, and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk beadapted to elfect clamping of the disk between the jaws comprising a bolt extending through said opening and one of said jaws,

one of said jaws including a rigid clamping member having a tooth continuous around and concentric with the axis of said bolt adapted to clutch said disk, said tooth having a fiat top.

16. 'In a torque transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to another element for transmission of torque comprising clamping jaws between which the disk is interposed and means adapted to effect clamp- 'ing of the disk between the jaws, one of said jaws including continuous teeth one around another adapted to clutch said disk. 17. In a torquetransmitting flexible cou pling, in combination, a flexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to another element for transmission of torque comprising clamping jaws between which the disk is interposed and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws, one of said aws including continuous teeth one around another on one face of said jaw adapted to clutch said disk.

18. In a torque transmitting flexible coupling, in combination, a flexible disk, means adapted to connect said disk to anotherelement for transmission of torque comprising clamping jaws between which the disk is interposed and means adapted to effect clamping of the disk between the jaws, one of said jaws including on one face, continuous teeth substantially concentrically -ar-.

ranged relative to one another, adapted to' clutch said. disk.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature,

in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. G'ILDNER. Q

Witnesses: v I

FLonnNoE E. SLoA'r, Anrnmz R. TOLLES. 

